Comprehension: What “In Your Own Words” Actually Means
“In your own words” is the instruction candidates most often nod at and then ignore. Copying the passage answers the question but earns nothing, because the question is testing understanding, not transcription.
What counts as lifting
Changing one word in a phrase is still lifting. So is reordering a sentence while keeping its wording.
Lifted, half-changed, properly reworded
Passage: “The residents were increasingly frustrated by the constant noise from the works.”
Lifted: They were increasingly frustrated by the constant noise.
Half-changed: They were more and more frustrated by the constant noise.
Reworded: The people living there grew steadily more annoyed because the building work never stopped.
The method
- Read the sentence. Then look away from the page.
- Say what it means out loud, to yourself, in ordinary language.
- Write down what you just said.
- Check back only to confirm you have not missed part of the meaning.
Looking away is the whole trick. You cannot copy what you cannot see, and the sentence you produce from memory is almost always in your own words already.
What stays the same
You do not need synonyms for everything. Keep proper nouns, technical terms, numbers, and any word with no reasonable alternative. Markers are not testing your thesaurus.
Words worth having ready
When the question does not say it
If a question asks you to explain, own words are expected even when the instruction is not printed. If it asks you to identify or quote, lifting is correct. Read which one you have been given — candidates lose marks in both directions.
In preparation
The Sentence Repair Kit
Four editions built separately for Lower Secondary N(T), N(T), N(A) and O-Level — every error type in this article, drilled with worked repairs and exam-style practice. Ready in time for prelims.
Browse the Secondary range →
